The subject invention relates to a system for storage and retrieval of Voice Files. More particularly, it relates to a system having a class of users which includes dictators and transcriptionists, and wherein system resource allocation, including transcription capability, is controlled by a Supervisor.
Storage and retrieval of voice messages is well known. "Desktop" analog dictation units have been marketed by the Dictaphone Corp. of Rye, N.Y. for more than half a century. More recently, larger, "central" dictation systems for use by groups of dictators have been available. Such "central" systems typically include a plurality of telephone-like input/output stations for use by dictators, a central, analog storage medium for storage and retrieval of voice messages, a plurality of transcription stations for use by transcriptionists who are more or less permanently assigned to the system, and a Supervisor's station through which a Supervisor may monitor and, to some extent, control the operation of the system. However, because the storage medium in such system is analog, the flexibility of control in such flexibility in controlling the priorities for transcription of the voice messages, and in assigning voice messages to selected transcriptionists.
One such "central" dictation system presently available is the Nucleus system marketed by the Dictaphone Corporation. ("Nucleus" is a registered trademark of the Dictaphone Corporation.)
Digital storage and retrieval of voice messages, or of almost any analog signal, is also well known. Typically such systems have been used for Voice Mail applications as is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,752 for: Electronic Audio Communication System to: Matthews et al. issued: Feb. 1, 1983. In such systems voice messages are input by a user for later retrieval and output to other users identified on an associated address list. When such other users access the system, messages addressed to them may be retrieved and output.
Other systems for digital storage and retrieval of voice messages have also been developed and marketed. These systems are intended for the original equipment manufacture (OEM) market and provide the basic digital voice storage and retrieval functionalities, such as: analog to digital conversion, speech compression, storage and retrieval of voice message files, digital to analog conversion, and control of voice ports. Typical of such commercially available OEM digital voice storage and retrieval systems is the DSC 2000 "Voiceserver" marketed by the Digital Sound Corp. of Santa Barbara, Calif. (DSC 2000 and Voiceserver are trademarks of the Digital Sound Corporation.) This system, shown in FIG. 1, together with the operating system and voice message file handling software, also provided by DSC, provides capabilities for multi-channel, real time storage, retrieval and playback of voice messages. The DSC 2000 is intended for use by OEM suppliers in developing their own specialized systems, and has been used by DSC to develop a Voice Mail application.
Accordingly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a system for digital storage and retrieval of Voice Files.
It is still another object of the subject invention to provide a system combining central dictation capabilities and Voice Mail capabilities.
It is another object of the subject invention to create a new dimension of Voice Mail capability which will allow the originator of a Voice Mail Message to follow up or confirm the message with hardcopy text.
It is another object of the subject invention to create a further new Voice Mail capability which will allow the recipient of a Voice Mail Message to redistribute the message to selected other recipients in hardcopy form.
It is still another object of the subject invention to provide a system for the digital storage and retrieval of Voice Files which has increased capabilities, and flexibility and ease of use in the creation, access, editing and retrieval of Voice Files.
It is a further object of the subject invention to provide a central dictation system which incorporates existing OEM digital voice storage and retrieval systems.
It is still a further object of the subject invention to provide a central dictation system with increased flexibility of control.
More particularly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a central dictation system having improved ability to assign priorities to Dictation Jobs awaiting transcription and to allocate transcription resources in accordance with changing requirements.
Still more particularly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a central dictation system which allows a Supervisor increased flexibility in assigning priorities for transcription of Dictation Jobs, and in assigning Dictation Jobs to particular selected transcriptionists.